Just got back from Target with a little surprise: the 7-inch vinyl single of Pearl Jam’s “The Fixer.”

I’d walked past the Target music department early in my shopping trip and noticed an associate attending to the New Releases, which I thought was a little odd since it’s only Monday and whatever is new usually hits the shelves on Tuesdays. But passing that endcap again when I was heading to the registers, I saw he’d been stocking it with the Pearl Jam 45. What I felt was akin to spotting the Loch Ness Monster. I mean, when’s the last time you saw a 7-inch single for sale at a major retailer? So I grabbed one of the four copies, immediately infatuated with its glossy full-color sleeve (shown here, but shinier).

Pearl Jam, as you might recall, signed a special deal with Target for the band’s upcoming CD, Backspacer, but I hadn’t read anything about the retailer carrying a 7-inch single. Turns out it’s the same white vinyl edition being sold via Pearl Jam’s Ten Club online store. At $5.99, it’s a little pricey for two songs taken from the album (“The Fixer” is backed with “Supersonic”), but I ponied up the cash in support of the extra effort (for giving me that cool Loch Ness feeling).

I got my “Fixer” here in California, but I figure Target has to have the single nearly everywhere in limited quantities. Enjoy the feeling, folks.